my robin

back in june, a "juvenile" robin was attacked (we think) by another bird and happened to land on my porch. my son was still in school, and as he was leaving to catch the bus, i saw the little robin lying there. i thought he was dead.
i went over to him, and he was still breathing.
my son, who loves all animals and birds, was very anxious.
he had to leave for the bus, and said to me, "mom! you have to do SOMETHING!!!"



i was worried cause our not so nice neighbors have a cat who likes to hang out on our porch (i sometimes wonder if they feed him...)

i didn't know what to do.
i mean, i like animals and birds and wildlife stuff, but to actually handle one? i'm a big chicken.
so i sat and sat and sat there with this poor bird.

i finally decided i had to do something ELSE, so i called my dog's vet.
they gave me a phone number to a wild bird rescue lady.
i had to leave a message and wait.

in the meantime, i went in to get a box in case i had to bring the bird in.
when i came back, the bird had perked up a little...



now, here comes the part where i'm a weirdo.
i had been working on some paintings where i was using a bird (or feathers) to symbolize...well, sort of me. but NOT flying. like i'm stuck here.
so in my head, i had to save this bird...or else i might be stuck forever!
it was too coincidental that it was happening RIGHT THEN.
(my husband thinks i'm a complete nutter)

the lady rang back and told me to put the bird in the box and bring him in.
i was really scared to pick him up.
we have friends who own birds, and i like them and i will hold them, but they are not wild birds, ya know?

my knees were knocking and everything...
but i did it!
i brought him in and i rang back in a couple of days to see how he was getting on.
she said he was doing much better and eating and everything on his own.
that made me really happy :D

she also said that they try to find their way back to where they came from.
so, again, being a weirdo, i imagine this robin to be the same robin who built a nest in our big oak tree, and sits and looks at me in the mornings when i'm having my coffee.
(my husband thinks i have completely lost it.)
it's sometimes nice to pretend :)



not a great pic, but this is the nest...



yesterday, i found a bluejay feather on the ground.
i was thinking on putting it in my new painting.

this morning, having my coffee out back, i heard all of this rustling in the tree.
the robin was chasing the bluejay away from it's nest.
that bluejay was relentless.
i sat there for ages watching. i even tried to scare the bluejay away myself.
just then, the daddy robin came and teamed up with the mommy robin, and the bluejay flew away.

cheers for the robins!!!!

anyway, i will still use the bluejay feather because it now means something completely new to me.
it may be even better!